NeoExodus: A Pound of Flesh
(Inactive)

Waking up on a beach of corpses a group of five individuals must explore a strange world to find out their past and in the process perhaps uncover a terrible conspiracy that can shatter the foundations of the Imperial Alliance.

Everything hurts. Breathing, thinking, moving, living. Each is an exercise in agony as you open your eyes. You feel things crawling on you and you are lying in something gritty yet smooth. Sand? Yes, that's what its called. Sand. And that sound like a windy roar must be the ocean. Maybe. You're sure it's the ocean.

There's a smell permeating in the air one that you are familiar with yet you don't remember why. In fact you can't remember much of anything. Name? Yes you have that. You can remember how to swing a sword, how to cast a spell. But, where did you learn these things? Why? When? In fact just how old are you? Wonderful.

Naked, on a beach, feeling like ten different kinds of hell and incapable of remembering anything beyond the most basic things you lie on the beach waiting for the world to stop spinning for five seconds.

As you are about to slip into the kind bliss of oblivious unconsciousness a voice calls out a small away from you.

Lionel upon hearing the voice, rolls over facing the sun then opening his eyes.

"Gahhh"

Ouch, right yes, there is such thing as the sun too. Why would I ever forget that?

Lionel slowly sits up brushing as much sand as possible off his body, though he thinks he sat up too fast as the world starts spinning again. Lionel clutches his head as he tries to look around his vicinity.

After hearing a voice, Aphrodite slowly opening her eyes and tries to find the direction of the voice,

Perception Check:

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Could I make out, which direction the voice came from?

She push and hold herself up with her four limp, she could see that her body's covered with sand.

My body!?
She thought to herself,
Oh darn it, where's my clothes?

She strains her head but couldn't remember. She then proceed to turn around and sit on the beach cross-legged, with both her elbows lying on her knee and her hands cupping her face. She tries to think about what happen. But nothing apart from her name came to her.

Aliwah groans. Every single part of her hurts, even the parts that she can't poke with a worried finger to gauge the damage. There's something missing from her, and not just the things hidden by the solid foggy wall that encloses what little space she can think in.

Aliwah. She finds the name - her name. It seems like something she should be proud of, but the name feels as empty as an open wound. Unconsciousness rises up to her like the waves of the sea, but she fights it off.

Something isn't right. That voice. If I'm still alive, that means there are some that aren't, and I don't want to join them. She tries to struggle to her feet, only getting as far as all fours, but it's enough.

Perception: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2

She tries to look around, but sand, salt, and the beginnings of hard-fought tears of exhaustion cloud her vision.

For minutes (or hours ?) the roar of the ocean fill the air. And now: two people shouting.

to DM:

Sense Motive:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
That first voice ("These ones are still alive !"), is it menacing or not ? Should we expect a coup de grâce or an helping hand ?

Drett tries to rise his head but has to surrender. He wait for some moments, then he manage to sit on the sand. He looks at the ocean blindly, trying to focus.

After some seconds, his eyes go down to his hands. Those hands, he close and turn several times as if seing them for the first time. He then looks at his body and finally around him.

to DM:

Heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Do I have any wounds ?

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
How many people on the beach ? How many of them moving ?
Can I guess who are the ones who just spoke. It seems one of them needs help ... well maybe *I* need help too. Not sure I could stand up right now.

But that is as far as the path goes. Everything else is blankness. Inside him there is only the hollow. He kneels down on the beach, the distant voices hardly registering in his shocked mind. Looking at the sky he fails to notice the tears that wet his face.

As each of you get up and try to look around your muscles barely respond. Through the blurriness of your exhaustion you make out that you are far from alone on the beach. It looks as if dozens of people in a similar state have washed up next to you. Though most are not nearly as lucky to be alive.

All around you are naked bodies washed up from the sea. Bloated with water you recognize many races and nationalities but no names, or even a glimmering of where they're from. The beach is littered with the bodies and aside from the twictches of a couple of others and one even managing to sit up in the sand the only sign of life is the carrion creatures picking over the remains.

However standing at the edge of the beach bordering what appears to be a forest is a small boy perhaps no older than ten pointing a finger in your general direction with some apprehensive excitement. Tee paleskinned dark haired boy does not appear to be hostile. Down the beach you hear the shouts of a man coming down the beach. Both many and boy are dressed in woolen gray jacket patched and tattered many times over. The man wears a thin curly black beard and appears to be in his thirties wearing a simple fishing cap. He is unarmed and is stepping over and through the bodies as quickly as possible without touching them.

Hearing someone running toward him, Drett begin clumsily to rise to defend himself, then, seeing only a young boy and what seems to be an unarmed fisherman, he relaxes, sat on the sand again, closes his eyes and put his head in his hands. The whole landscape is still spinning and each move sends pain signals from every muscle.

It's not unlike being drunk as a lord and then beaten to a pulp in a good brawl (a sensation that seems strangely familiar). The headache, unstable ground and pain should disappear given time ... if no bone is broken.

Drunk ? It could explain why he can't remember a darn thing about last night. Well, not being able to remember the tavern he was last night is something, not being able to remember the town or even country is another. This must have been a *real* good night.

A woman voice call for help not far away. As the fisherman nears him, Drett wave his hand and mumbles "I'll be ok. Soon. I hope. Go help her"

Wait, what did she say ? She needs clothing ? Drett slowly turn his head to the young woman to get a glimpse of her before it's too late (always those same old reflexes). Yes, she's naked like him and seems pretty beautiful (too bad his vision is still a little blurry). But who is her ? And why are they both naked on this beach ? Wow ! That must have been a *real* *darn* good night !

Lionel stands up, despite the pain and not a care in the world about his nudity at current. He still clutches his head with his left hand, occasionally ruffling his hair as if to distract him from the agony his head is in. He walks up or rather stumbles slowly towards the man and child.

"Hello there strangers, forgive my current ignorance but .. erm, where might I be?

Diplomacy:

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Lionel gives another quick look round and sees some of the other bodies moving. He notices a man kneeling near him (Emil) , curious he stumbles towards him.

"Looks like you and I have similar problems, want a hand?"

Lionel outstretches his arm to Emil to help him up if he choose to take it.

More people moving and speaking all around. Maybe it's time to try to rise again.

Drett reluctantly stops staring at the young and curvaceous nude beauty (better stopping before *he* needs clothing to avoid embarrassment) and looks around, turning his back to the sea.

How is the landscape after the beach ? Rocky, plains, forest, hill ... ?

Perception:

Perception = 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Any village or construction to be seen ?

How is the climate ? Cold, warm ?

He then turn to the sun (or stars ?).

Survival:

Survival = 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
What time of day (or night ?) is it ?
Where is the north ?

At last, his eyes go back to the beach. Apart from the boy, the fisherman and the young woman near him, there are 2 men and another lass struggling to there feet some yards away. Nobody else moving. Drett stars at the nude people, moving or not, for a while. No face seems familiar.

So many people on a beach, hurt, dead maybe. No, it was no tavern brawl. A shipwreck ? But why is every body naked ? Where are the debris of the ship ? Maybe the fisherman knows something. Or one of the other castaway.

Question and answers will have to wait. First, we must check everybody status.

If he is able to walk and if the fisherman and his son are still helping the woman (and as the 2 other men are helping each other), Drett moves toward the girl that seems to have a hard time standing up and has crawled to a nearby corpse.

Hum ... a Gevet, from the horns. No tail or other non human strangeness though (and there is no way she could hide them).

While waiting for the man to approach her, she turn her head to look around. Then almost as if she has fainted she laid back down on the sand, probably from the dizziness she felt when she turn her head too quickly.

With her hand still covering her body, she close her eye.
Oh my, so many people are in the same state as me. I wonder are they all alive? There are some that manage to stood up.

Aphrodite open her eye and making sure she doesn't feel light-headed this time, she turn her head slowly toward the two man standing up(Emil & Lionel).

Responding to the OOC discussion. You do recall the text from the recruitment thread. However how you interpret it is up to your character. It could be a memory, or a horrible nightmare.

The man hesitates as he sees you begin moving about. Those few moving about include two women and three men. One of the women appears strange with a near flat face and small horns poking out just underneath the hair line.

The air is cold and wet, it's light out though you can't tell how late it is in the day with the thick cloud cover that threatens rain.

The man stands protectively by the boy who points amusingly at you from the safety of the mans leg and giggles. "They're all naked!"

The man gives an angry hush and speaks to you with a heavy Arman accent looking as if at any moment he's going to grab the boy up and take off running. "Um, hello?"

[spoiler=Aliwah]The first man you flip over appears pale with blue lips with curly black hair and facial hair. IS skin looks like it might have been dark before life left him. The bulging in his chest leaves you with the conclusion that he drowned.[/ooc]

"Yes, there is ... I don't know why, but I'm just glad to be alive." He gives Emil a light punch on the chest. You should be happy too, we'll figure out what happened to these people and hopefully make sure some of them rest easier in the afterlife.

Lionel then replies to the man with the Arman accent. "Hello there, forgive my current .. lack of adequate clothing, sorry to be a bother, where are we?"

Knowing the man has nothing to offer her, Aphrodite slowly tries to stand up making sure that she doesn't feel light-headed while doing so. Still covering her body, she stumbles toward the man, and when the little boy pointed his finger and said "They're all naked!", she gave him a weak smile.

Aphrodite paid attention when Lionel speak to the man and when he finish she adds,

"I'd second that."

She's about to raising her hand to gesture that, but then realise that she'd better keep the hand where they're at.

"Where are we sir? I don't remember... anything."

Though knowingly that the man seems to be just a poor fisherman, Aphrodite still felt the need to address a senior with sir, almost instinctively.

At the sound of the man's voice, Aliwah sits back onto her knees and looks up, scrubbing salty water from her eyes with the back of her left arm. At the sight of the man, her eyebrows climb up her flat face, causing her horns to strain outwards. Lines of mirth crinkle about her narrow eyes. "You're naked!" she exclaims. The nervous laugh that follows is quickly choked off as she glances down at her own form: "So am I." The serious nature of the situation returns to her, and she hugs her arms across her chest.

"I'm all right, I think. Thanks," she says at length, her words slow with heavy thought. I didn't drown, no. I swum...I think. I don't remember. I can only recall blackness and...strangeness. Shaking the thoughts from her, she gradually levers herself to her feet. "I am Aliwah...I think. Do you remember anything? My mind is as blank as-" she gestures with her sharp chin to the beach at large: "-this sand isn't," she ends awkwardly.

A charm spell changes how the subject views you, typically making it see you as a good friend.

Compulsion wrote:

A compulsion spell forces the subject to act in some manner or changes the way its mind works. [...]

He waits a moments before answering; he looks at the sand and beach, frowning, as if struggling with the comparison Aliwah just made. Then he kneels besides her and look her ... in the eyes. (Yes, in the eyes! He can do it!)

Drett notices the strange pupils. The skin color seems a bit odd too, not the normal tan it first appeared. Well, that's not only the horns: she is more different than he first thought.

"Aliwah then? And no serious wound? Good."

He then turn his head to the corpses nearby: "We were lucky. It seems."

To Aliwah again: "My own mind's blank too. We will have to find later what happened. Now, we need shelter and food." he says, then after an hesitation (and a slight touch of regret in the voice) "And clothes too or we will freeze here."

Then, Drett rise and lend her a hand: "Come. We should join the others and find some help."

Lionel sees that the woman nearby is struggling and trying her best to cover herself up, even after she asked for a cloth from the crowd no-one replied.

Hmmm, is there anything around here that can block her from..view.. would that work? He gets an image of a wolf-like creature in his head. Wait, who is that? ....Mint, why do I know that? He taps his head and feels around at the tattoo on his forehead. Better try to make this look as innocent as possible, hopefully people don't spot that my friend is coming out of no-where. Wait! Idea!

Lionel turns away from the crowd for little while as if investigating something in the sand while chanting the ritual to summon his eidolon for the minute required. At the end he looks towards the other end of the beach and whistles. "Hey, you there girl?! Give this beautiful lady a hand?"

Lionel summoned Mint near a group of bodies out of sight. Mint is a decently sized quadrupedal wolf creature, very similar to what one would recognise as a wolf aside from a small red rune painted on her fur between her eyes. Her fur coat is also an Azure blue with a patch of white that runs up her underside and her paws.

Mint hearing her master's call jumps out and runs towards Aphrodite, then stands in between her and the crowd side on. Mint looks at Aphrodite, flicks her ears up, barks happily then starts moving her head as if motioning to Aphrodite to stand closer. Lionel quickly glances at Aphrodite and gives her a wink, then turns his attention back at the crowd waiting for a response to where he might be.

Mint is medium size so you should be able to basically hide behind her

"The name's Lionel, last I checked anyway.. which admittedly was 10 minutes ago when I felt nothing but sand and water in my everything. I'm pretty sure sea water is bad for my lungs" He says jokingly trying to lighten the current mood.

"Yes Mint is beautiful, I'm jealous of that wolf, she'll probably pull in more suitors than I ever will. I don't know why I called her mint though, she isn't really green is she?" Lionel chuckles to himself. "How bout your name then?"

"The name's Aphrodite. Or that's what I believe my name to be, or at least that's the only name I got from straining my head. Hmm or could it be that's just a name I remember because of what happen to me..."

Aphrodite seems to be mumbling towards the end, then she looks back up at Lionel with a cheerful grin.

The man, at least somewhat mullified that you are not part of some terrible undead invasion touches the boy on the shoulder. "Dmitiri! Get your brother and fetch blankets! Go!"

"But papa!" The boy says pointing at the "doggy" and "pretty lady".

The man gives a small slap behind the boys ear that seems to shock more than hurt the boy and the boy takes off running. But not before stopping at the treeline and giving a point and a giggle at the assembled nudity.

The man rubs his hands together and gives you a smile. His teeth are yellow and a few have either rotted or been knocked out. "Um, you are in Ferringrad Prefecture, on border to territory of Stragonuv village?"

For those who are new to PBP's myself and some GM's put rolls in spoilers labeled with a check and a DC. Make the roll in your post and you can react based upon the information found on the spoiler.

Knowledge Geography DC12:

The Ferringrad Prefecture is on the northeast coast of the Arman Protectorate

After an awkward moment the man clears his throat again. "And where you from?" Than angling a gaze at Aphrodite that borders on a sad longing he continues. "Pleasure ship?"

Lionel scratches his head trying to figure out where that may be. After a small while he gives up.

I'm sorry my good man, I have no idea where that is, at least some names to the area will help. Although I have no idea where I am from personally, I don't remember much of anything except for waking up here. No semblance of a past.

Lionel replies to Aphrodite

Oh shush, no need for a 'sir', just lionel or leo will do. Nice to meet you too though Aphrodite. Wish it was under better circumstances.

"Stragonuv Village... Ferringrad Prefecture isn't that on the northeast coast of the Arman Protectorate... How..."

Aphrodite struggles to understand how she knew about this. She then tries to think about where she's from, but nothing came to.

"I... I... I don't know where I'm from... I know where we're at, but not where I'm from..."

She hugs Mint to seek comfort, not hearing everything Lionel seems to be talking to her, she replied anyway.

"Yes sir, it would be nice to meet you under better circumstance."

It is only now that Aphrodite finally had a chance to give Lionel a good look, he seems to be more handsome than most and his brown hair waving in the wind makes him seems like a prince in shiny armour, only there is no armour but nude body. Aphrodite seems blush at the thought of that, and dug her face in towards Mint's light blue fur, though you couldn't actually sees her face turning red.

Drett walks back to the group surrounding the fisherman. He hopes that Aliwah will follow him, but don't dare looking back.

He then notices the (blue !) wolf and stops. The animals appears friendly and nobody seems affraid of its presence, so there is problably no need to worry. But where does this wolf come from ?

Perception: 1d20 +0(ranks) +1(Wis) ⇒ 1d20 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 0 + 1 = 19
It's fur is dry and clear of sand so it did not beach here like them.
Hey ! I beat the stealth roll of Aphrodite !
He also get a good view of the woman trying to hide behind the wolf and cannot help to admire again her perfect body.

It's the first time he sees a wolf of this color. Spontaneously, Drett starts appraising the price that he could get from such a fur ...
Profession (trapper): 1d20 +1(ranks) +1(Wis) +3(class skill) ⇒ 1d20 + 1 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 + 3 = 8
... but it is so strange that he forfeit.

Drett also listen to the quick exchange with the fisherman and sees the boy leaving (and try to memorize the direction he took).

From what he just heard, it seems he could now give a name to each one:

The cute Gevet is Aliwah.

The charming lad is Lionel or Leo (or is it Leo only for Aphrodite ?).

Aliwah follows the tall man, carefully picking her way between the bodies that lie scattered across the beach like broken driftwood. She stares down at each figure in turn, both hoping and fearing that the sight might free some memory locked away in her mind.

The appearance of the wolf causes her a moment of panic at the beast's size, but its apparent friendliness towards the other woman calms her down. "I'm glad the beast is with us," she comments to Drett. "Other than making people scream: 'Ahhh, they're naked!' we're a little weaponless."

A thought strikes her, and she directs her attention to the clothed man: "Naked people ever washed up here before? How about other strange things? Was there something that made you think 'Ooh, I should check the beach today, who knows what I'll find'?" she imitates the man's rough voice, cheerfully trying to keep the mood light.

"Oh, two more moving bodies, wonderful." Lionel smiles and waves at the two approaching the group.

"I'm guessing you are just as lost as we are about this whole thing, I wonder if there is a boat we all ran aground on, some place? Lionel just looks out towards the horizon pondering.

Well I guess this could be worse, actually... when was the last time I ate? How long have I been asleep? Damn, now that I think about it a good bed and hot food would go really well about now. Not a penny to get that with though, hopefully some agreement can be made at some point with these villagers. Perhaps when we're all have some form of cloth around us to prevent future.. awkwardness I can actually start talking to these strangers like me. Looks like we are all in the same boat! Lionel chuckles to himself as his mind blathers away trying to distract himself from the worst parts about his current situation.

He suddenly stops and stares in space. "Well ... what ? ... I ... kind of ... remember ... falling in water ... no ... being thrown in water ...". Drett closes his eyes, rub his temples and starts speaking without even noticing: "I can't move. I can't breath. Something strange covers me. I struggle to free myself. They hit me... I feel claws. They haul me over board. I fall in the sea... Peoples are screaming ..."

He quivers and opens his eyes, his gaze still blank, then after some seconds he collects his wits and realize he has spoken aloud. He turns to his fellow castaways and, with a half smile and a wave of the hand, tries to dismiss what he just said: "Sorry. Strange visions. Don't want to worry you. Must be a nightmare.".
But he still looks troubled.

The man scratches the back of his head trying his best not to stare too much at Aliwah's essentials as he's being addressed.

"Ehhhh, sometimes a shipwreck produces good money? We come here expecting good wood and perhaps other things to sell. Only we find this." He waves his arms expansively at the beach as if to explain he really didn't expect to find a beach full of naked dead bodies.

Pretty soon the little boy returns with what appears to be his brother. Who appears much like a smaller version of his father with a slightly thicker and less graying beard. He is likely no older than 16 judging by the youth in his eyes and the sudden nervous shock.

Warming up a bit the man smiles as moth eaten woolen blankets are passed out among you. "First we get you clothes, than we get you something to eat. Then we see sheriff to see what he would like to do. Come."

With that he gestures for you to follow as he heads up towards the treeline.

Drett takes the blanket given by the older boy and cover himself.
When the fisherman heads up toward the forest, Drett waits for the others to move and will follow them (... unless someone else really wants to go last).

"Wonderful!" Lionel takes a blanket and wraps it round his lower half. He makes a clicking noise with his mouth and Mint falls in beside him. Lionel then goes walks beside Aphrodite and has Mint on his other side. He ruffles Mint's fur on her head and smiles at her. She replies by barking happily and wagging her tail.

"Yes, a name to a face would be good, also does the sheriff of your village make the decisions for the safety of your village then?" Lionel then turns and to Aphrodite. "So, Ditey, what do you think of the current situation."

Aphrodite felt much safer when walking alongside Mint and Lionel, she seems to be more comfortable with her situation now that she's no longer naked.

"I don't know sir, it seems awful strange that we are all naked, and we all seem to lost our memories, if I didn't know better I would guess that we probably all knew each other some how and all got into this mess together. Or we might know some of those that died here, they could've been a close friend or family of ours and we didn't even know about it.

She saddens her tone at the final few words. She shed a drop of tear at The thought of her family possibly died when she live, and the fact that she couldn't even remember who her family is, brings tears to her eyes, but she quickly wipe her tears using the corner of her blanket, and put on a strong smile.

"What ever this was, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this."

P.S. My character didn't pay attention when you asked her to call you Lionel or Leo, so she's still calling you sir, as she would normally to most people.

I noticed. :) I think that's fine, I will still RP accordingly though.

Lionel hugs Aphrodite with one arm as they are walking. "I'm sure we will, and if we all knew each other and were likely friends you really have to stop calling me sir. I barely even look your senior and I definitely didn't lead some military outfit" He looks down at her and chuckles.

"Now don't think of the bad things right now, that won't do us any good. Let's think about what we should do next. Aside from the food, food is good." He says beaming.

Lionel lets go of Aphrodite and gazes up to the sky as they stroll along. "You seemed to know where we are, know anything about this area? As I am totally lost here, I don't even remember what the continent looks like. "

Aliwah accepts a blanket from the young man with a quirking smile at his obvious discomfort, and favours him with a cheeky: "Thank-you, fine sir."

Lightly stepping past him, she follows the group towards the treeline. Eyes wide, she gazes with curiousity at the local flora, attempting to summon up any vague thoughts or feelings as to the trees and plants they trooped towards. Nope. Looks like whoever I was before didn't care much about trees, other than that they stick up out of the ground and are called trees.

She quickens her pace a touch until caught up with their guide, and continues her line of questioning: "What sort of stuff washes up usually? Where does it come from? Where might we have come from?" She pauses, hesitant. Reaching up towards her face, she strokes her horns with tender curiousity: "Where could I have come from?"

Aphrodite didn't retreat from the arm of Lionel. It's not strong but it's comforting.

Knowledge Geography:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

I would tell Lionel, about what I know about this place and made it loud enough so everyone could hear it. then added "Dear... Dear lord almighty, I remember these, but I don't even remember my deity." She sigh yet again.

"Not much interesting. But Strogonuv is the most piss poor village in the region. So poor in fact we cannot afford even to piss." He smiles back at you over his little joke but continues. "Sometimes things wash up from Ablis. I bring them to sage in city. He gives me money. We eat for another week. Once I fish for tuna, bluefin, ehhh, other fish. Now, I fish for strange things. Never bodies before."

As he finishes you break the treeline and find yourselves before a smll cart barely enough to fit all of you on it. There is nothing on the cart save the potential for lots of nasty splinters. Hooked up to the cart are a pair of donkeys whose skinniness seems to suggest the only thing keeping them alive is the mad stubbornness attributed to all of their kind.

As all of you pile in and ride to what is presumably his home their is the distincitve sense that the beach you just left is a rarity in these parts. As you look through the trees you see that most of the shore is a sheer rocky cliff with small islands of basalt towering above the surf topped with defiant plants and shrubs where an occasional seabird flies away from.

"If food is that hard to come by for you I would prefer not to take what little you have, that would be a little too much I think. So, erm, have you had a good haul this week, I mean aide from the naked people? Lionel asks inquisitively as he looks around at the scenery taking in as much as he can to try and get some bearings.

Aliwah laughs at the man's poor joke a little over-eagerly, prompted by something little more than instinct.

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

"You are very kind for lending us these blankets, and giving us a lift in your cart, even if it does prickle like a...prickly thing." She scowls inwardly at the poor comparison. I need to know more things, or remember them at least. I can somewhat picture them but they are so very...vague. More questions then.

Aphrodite didn't speak much, in fact at all during the journey, she seems to be trying to think about her past again. Due to being in deep thoughts she didn't pay much attention to anyone nor what they say.